Tokyo Zero
by Nidle
Summary: Ken Kaneki, a half ghoul dying and suffering from amnesia, is summoned by Louise the Zero, a mage with no affinity to magic and can only create explosions. One searching for a way to regain his lost memories, and the other constantly praying to become a great mage. Is their meeting composed of great fortune, or is it something far more sinister?
1. The Summoning

Tokyo ghoul/Familiar of Zero crossover! I may be switching from first person to third person during key points in this story, so just a heads up.

Pain. Undeniable and unforgivable pain coursed through me like a raging river. I couldn't move my body, nor could I see what was around me, but what I did know was that the intense pain was centered around my skull. Through all the pain, I had a feeling of weightlessness before gravity took control again. My mind couldn't register what was around me, but I could faintly hear the sound of someone's voice echoing through the emptiness. Slowly, I was starting to make out what was being said, but it was something I had never expected to hear in my current situation.

"Someone get a stretcher! We need to take this boy to the infirmary quickly!" said a very commanding voice, worry clearly hidden inside "his" words. Just as quickly as the voice came, it faded away and the dark took control of me again.

Louise Francoise le blanc de la Valliere was what you would call an overachiever. She had the best grades in the entire academy and had the personality of a self-respecting high-class noble. However, there was one thing that always stuck to her like a scar that couldn't quite heal itself. It was the fact that she couldn't cast a single spell. She had no affinity for magic or anything remotely close to the arcane arts. This in itself wouldn't be that much of a deal, except for when every time she tries to cast a spell, it turns into a very powerful explosion. She belonged to no element of magic, and the lost element was long forgotten and highly unlikely.

Over the last year at the academy of magic, she has accumulated the nickname "Louise the Zero" because of her inability to use magic, easily making her an easy target for her classmates. She had been bullied and laughed at for far too long, and today was the day that they would all bow before her and her might. You see, today was a very special day for any of those that were mages. Today, was the day that Louise would summon her familiar, a life-long companion that would protect her and listen to her every order, and prove to those who mocked her that she was the most talented mage around.

Currently, she was outside in a field full of her classmates and others of the same year. Almost everyone had went and summoned something that coincided with their magic, and she was up next. Feeling a pin of nervousness course through her, she instictively took a step back, only to have someone call her out.

"Professor Colbert! The Zero hasn't summoned anything yet!" yelled a tall, very buxomness woman as she looked down on Louise.

"Please enter the magic circle and begin the chant then, Miss Valliere." Professor Colbert said, giving a faint smile and a look of confidence to Louise.

To say she was nervous was an understatement by now. Her heart was completely running rampant, and she couldn't stop herself from sweating slightly.

'C'mon Louise, you can do this! Show these jerks who the real zero is!', she encouraged herself as she said the incantation. The circle began to glow, causing everyone in the vicinity to jump slightly. Somewhere in the crowd someone yelled to move away before the entire area was engulfed in a giant cloud of black smoke.

Coughing filled the entire area, causing some to cover their mouths with their capes or arms. As the coughing and smoke cleared out, a human like figure was laying in the center of the circle. Many of the students gasped in shock at what they saw laying there, for it was not an animal there, but a corpse covered head to foot in blood.

"Oh great founder did Louise just kill someone!?", a student shrieked as she looked on in horror and disgust.

"I knew she was bad at magic, but to outright kill someone during the holy summoning…" someone else whispered as the students became more and more restless. Professor Colbert had to calm all the students down and with a powerful and commanding tone, ordered all the students to head back to their dorms with their familiars and to grab a stretcher to take it too the infirmary.

Louise was completely out of it. Too lost in her own thoughts as she continued to stare at what she had summoned. It looked to be a white haired boy, not much older than herself, dressed in a type of black, tight-fitting latex with shorts and a shirt made of the same color. his nails were completely black with slight scarring around the joints. Everything about him made her very uncomfortable, but what caught her attention the most, and downright _frightened_ her was his face. His eyes were completely gone, leaving two crimson holes peering out into the world.

She was so transfixed with his details, that she didn't even notice her professor trying to grab her attention.

"Miss Valliere, are you alright! Miss Valliere!" He repeated her name over and over again until she looked towards him. Professor Colbert could see the fright behind her eyes.

"Professor…?" Se meekly questioned as he released a sigh.

"Miss Valliere, I need you to go back inside the academy right now."

"But what about…" She trailed off after looking at her professor's face. He had a stern look, the look of someone who had witnessed death many times and overcame its burdens. With a nod, she quickly ran back inside.

As she left, Professor Colbert looked back at the body, seeing its chest rise and fall very weakly. He couldn't believe his eyes, for the person in front of him should've been long dead from his injuries.

"I pray to the great Brimir that whatever this is, doesn't harm any of the students here…" He silently whispered to himself.

And that's the end of chapter one! Tell me how you all thought of it! I hoping to find someone to proofread and edit this soon, so please message me if you want to.


	2. A New Familiar

A/N: Hey guys! welcome back to another chapter of Tokyo Zero! I got a lot more follows and favs than I thought I would, so here ya go! Chapter 2! Also, I decided to keep the story third-person since I feel I can get more done with it than with first-person. Anyway, enjoy!

Louise was starting to panic. Here she was, frantically trying to piece together what had happened during the summoning. She recalled chanting the spell, only to have it blow up in her face like usual. Before that, however, there was no one on the field, and from what her memory served, there were no burn marks on the man. Louise shivered at the thought of him, those gaping holes making her feel incredibly nauseous.

Louise was too deep in her thoughts to notice the door she was standing in front of open, revealing one of the staff of the academy. She had on the usual nurse uniform and a clipboard in her hands. She didn't even notice Louise until she nearly bumped into the noble.

"Oh! I'm sorry. Are you in need of something?" The nurse questioned, causing Louise to pale a bit. She couldn't help but stutter out her next words.

"I-is the man alright?" She asked, obviously concerned with the patient they brought in earlier that day. The woman smiled slightly, flipping through a page on her clipboard.

"The person you're talking about is out of critical condition thanks to the other nurses. We had a couple water mages on hand. Thanks to that, we were able to save his life, though unfortunately we believe he will never be able to see again." She stated with a grim look on her face. Before Louise could question her again, the nurse continued on with her explanation.

"Though we were able to save his life, we still need to keep him here to run some more tests. For all we know, he could have even greater injuries than we initially saw, and him being alive at all must be a blessing from the great founder himself…" She let her sentence hang for a bit before looking back up to the noble. Louise still had a worried expression, one that said she wouldn't leave until she saw him in person. The nurse slightly chuckled to herself and allowed Louise to enter the infirmary. She thanked the nurse before rushing in. Inside, the room was filled with beds and curtains, as well as a desk at the far end of the room. Though there were many of them here, barely any have ever been used since she entered the school.

She looked around for a couple seconds until she spotted the curtains drawn around one of the beds. peeling them back, Louise found the person she was looking for. He was tucked underneath a layer of blankets, bandages covering his eyes as his white hair seemed to blend in with the pillow and sheets. Confirming that he looked alright, she quickly left the room. The nurse outside was still going through her clipboard, writing little notes here and there. She looked up after hearing the door close, and upon seeing Louise leaving, went back inside the room.

Kaneki was sitting in the darkness time, no longer feeling lighter than air. He felt more solid, his strength coming back to him slowly but surely. He had a vague feeling of loss and regret, but couldn't quite figure out why. Everytime he tried to remember something, it only caused him to become more and more confused, like trying to solve a puzzle that had many pieces missing. He tried harder and harder to figure out why he was feeling this way, but something snapped him out of his thoughts. Just like before, it was a woman speaking, except the tone of voice was very different. It sounded more bubbly, but it somehow still sent a chill down his spine. Suddenly, he felt arms wrap around him, the act causing him to jump slightly.

"Oh you poor thing, all that work to become stronger, but not being able to even protect the things you love. hehehe…." the woman chuckled darkly. Kaneki felt like he should know this woman, but her name and face eluded him. He could feel her breath on his neck, shivering slightly at the contact.

"You should be waking up soon. You have no business being here back when you at least remember the fun we had eheheh~." She seductively implied. Just as suddenly as she appeared, he felt her presence dissipate light a trail of smoke caught in a powerful wind. Then, there was silence. Everything was still dark, but somehow, he felt that this darkness was completely different from the one he just experienced. He could feel himself laying on something very soft, and what felt like blankets covering him.

"Where am I…?" He whispered to himself as he tried to sit up. He could feel another presence with him.

"Oh! You're awake already!? Hang on sir, please lay back down for me." She said with surprise and worry in her voice. Kaneki couldn't recognize this voice, but from the sound of it, he could probably guess the age of the lady. Doing as she said, he rested his head back against the pillow, hearing the woman walk out the area he was in and closing the door behind her. Several minutes passed before the door opened again, this time several more footsteps could be heard walking in.

"He's awake!? But it's only been a few hours!" An experienced voice yelled in surprise, not expecting Kaneki to be awake so soon.

"I don't know, but from the looks of it, he seems to be better than when he was first placed in here." Kaneki heard the woman from before state. He turned his head in the direction where the voices were coming from.

"Who are you people…?" He asked, hoping he would get an answer. The woman spoke first.

"Oh, sorry about that. My name is Emily." She said. Kaneki had a feeling that she was smiling at him.

"Excuse us for being so rude. My name is Jean Colbert, and I work here as a teacher." Kaneki could tell this man had a lot of experience, if the hidden tone in his voice meant anything.

"I'm Louise Francoise leblanc de la Vallière, third daughter of the Valliere family." The other one, a woman, stated with pride. Kaneki thought she would be very bothersome, but kept it to himself.

"My name is Kaneki Ken..." He trailed off, trying to remember anything else about himself. Silence shifted through the room, only to be broken by a cough from Mr. Colbert.

"Well, Mr. Ken, can you tell us anything about what happened to you?" He asked. Kaneki shifted a bit.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you what happened. All I remember is being in complete darkness…"

Mr. Colbert turned to look at the other occupants, each giving him a worried look. He turned his head back to Kaneki.

"Mr. Ken-"

"Kaneki is fine, Mr. Colbert." He interrupted.

Mr. Colbert coughed a bit, "Kaneki, you were summoned here by Ms. Valliere during the school's summoning ritual. After summoning you, we saw that you were gravely injured…" He trailed off. Kaneki let his explanation process, before giving a question of his own.

"Mr. Colbert, what is a familiar?" Kaneki asked, gaining a surprised look from Louise and an even more worried look from Mr. Colbert. Emily looked back at Mr. Colbert, as if to say that maybe Kaneki suffered brain damage.

"A familiar is a type of being that enters a contract with its summoner. They are meant to protect their masters from harm and help them in their time of need. Though Familiars are usually animals, but this is the first time I've heard of a human being summoned during the ritual." Mr. Colbert studied Kaneki's face for any type of reaction..

"So you're saying that I was summoned here by Ms. Valliere, and that I'm meant to be her familiar?" He questioned.

"Yes, that's correct."

"If I agree to this, will I be able to get my memories back?" Mr. Colbert's concern was plainly clear in his voice.

"I don't know, but it may be possible."

Louise just sat there silently. She wanted so badly to have another chance to summoning another familiar. She couldn't help but feel on edge when looking at Kaneki, as if her whole body was telling her to get as far away from this person as possible. However, she knew that if she voiced her opinion, she could very well be expelled.

"Then I'll accept." Kaneki said. Though Kaneki knew there was no guarantee, he had to try at least. He couldn't help but feel like he was forgetting something important. Mr. Colbert looked at Louise and nodded his head in confirmation. Louise stiffened a bit, but did the chant. Kaneki then felt something soft touch his lips, and shortly after a slight burning sensation erupted from his body. The sensation quickly disappeared, leaving a somewhat confused Kaneki.

"Kaneki, are you alright?" He asked. Kaneki looked in his direction, slightly tilting his head.

"Yes, why? Is something wrong?" Confused, Mr. Colbert looked back at Louise. She looked just as confused as he did. He knew that many of the familiars would shake or yelp with pain from the runes being engraved on them, but for Kaneki to show no sign of pain as the runes were being placed left enough room for worry. He looked back at Kaneki and saw the runes etched into his hand, but they looked just like any of the other runes he saw earlier that day.

Turning his head to Emily, he excused himself and Louise from the room. Kaneki still felt extremely confused after they left. Emily got up and told Kaneki to get some more rest before leaving the room as well. Laying back down, he let the darkness take him again. His last thoughts were of how that Louise girl smelled very delicious...

And that's it for chapter 2! Hope you all enjoyed it, and to stay tuned for more. The position of Proofreader is still up, so please message me if you're interested!


	3. Siesta

**Onward to chapter 3!**

The darkness encompassed him once more. Kaneki could feel the heaviness of the air around him, cold and unforgiving. He was sitting in the same metal chair as before, waiting. 'Waiting for what…?' he asked himself. Keeping his ears open, no sound escaped him. however, no matter how sharp his ears were, she still managed to get passed them. He felt her arms drape around his shoulders and her mouth inch close. Her soft breath touching the side of his face.

"You're still not ready, Kaneki. Soon, very soon…." She whispered in his ear. Confused by her words, Kaneki opened his mouth.

"What do you mean…?" He asked, hoping to get an answer out of her. She only shifted a bit.

"You'll know soon enough, however, for right now I'll give you a warning." She chuckled darkly to herself as she let go of him. "Don't trust these mages, Kaneki. If you do, they will no doubt be your downfall."

Kaneki quickly whipped his head around, but her presence had already disappeared. He played her words over and over again inside his head, all while the heaviness dissipated. Kaneki felt the familiar comfort of the bed he was on, most likely still in the same room as well. From outside, he could hear the birds chirping away, signifying it was early morning. Basking in the symphony, he relaxed a bit, until he heard soft footsteps outside the room. They were extremely quiet, like that of a cat. The door creaked open and the footsteps entered the room. He sat up and turned his head towards the newcomer. He must of caught her off-guard, because she screamed and dropped whatever she was holding.

"Ah!" She screamed, Kaneki tilted his head a bit.

"Are you okay?" He asked her. She shuffled around a bit, probably picking up whatever she had dropped.

"U-um yes I am! I'm very sorry for disturbing you!" She stammered out, but Kaneki could easily recognize the fear in her voice. 'She must be very timid' he thought as he heard her stand. She left from where he was, and shortly after he heard the rustling of sheets. He could hear her footsteps stop and go like clockwork, each turn taking no more than 30 seconds each. Kaneki decided to break the silence that surrounded the two of them.

"What is your name?" He asked, hoping she would help. She stopped what she was doing and turned towards him.

"hmm? O-oh my name is Siesta, sir…"

"It's a pleasure to meet you Siesta, my name is Kaneki Ken. Are you perhaps a nurse here?"

"Oh no no no! I'm not skilled enough for that. I'm just a maid." She stated bashfully. Kaneki felt that she was a very kind person, but something in his mind told him not to trust her until he was absolutely sure she was genuine.

"Do you like your job?" She paused, before exhaling a bit.

"Of course I do. Though things could be much better, it is still better than not having one at all. Plus, I have my coworkers and the headmaster to keep me motivated. The headmaster can be a bit of a perv sometimes, he is still a kind friend." Kaneki listened intently, looking for any falsehoods in her statements. Finding none, he let her continue on about how she first arrived here to how she was trained by the staff. After she was done, she asked something that was completely unexpected given how she acted.

"Mr. Kaneki, if I may be so bold, how did you end up with those wounds?"

Kaneki didn't speak for a couple seconds, making Siesta shift uncomfortably. He finally opened his mouth.

"I don't know. All I have to go on is that I was summoned here in this state by one of the mages." He sighed, looking down slightly. Siesta gasped a bit.

"You're a familiar, Mr. Kaneki?"

"Yes, I am. Is it that odd?" He questioned, slightly intrigued.

"Yes it is. As far as I know, it has never happened before. Familiars are usually animals, each pertaining to the element a mage uses." While giving her little lecture, Kaneki thought about what she had said. 'If I'm not supposed to be here, then how did I even end up here in the first place. She said each mage summons something pertaining to their element, but then that begs to question what element I am meant to be...'

"Oh, I'm very sorry Mr. Kaneki, please excuse me! I got so wrapped up in explaining what a familiar is that I completely forgot I had somewhere to be. If you would, I would gladly like to speak with you again." Kaneki could here her move something and get up, but just as she was about to reach the door, Kaneki stopped her.

"Siesta, you can just call me Kaneki. It feels weird being called mister the whole time." Though Kaneki couldn't see it, he felt that she must have nodded and heard the door close. He only had a couple minutes of silence before the door opened again. The sound of a heavy metal box tapping against something resounded within the room. just by her smell, Kaneki could tell that it was the nurse from yesterday.

"Good morning, Kaneki. How are you feeling?" Emily asked as she walked towards him. Pulling out a chair and sitting right beside him, she opened the metal box.

"Feeling better than when I woke up yesterday. My head still aches, though." He stated. Emily took something out of the box and started unwrapping the gauze around his eyes. Kaneki guessed that she was going to wrap him up again, but as soon as Emily unwrapped it, she nearly screamed. Kaneki had fully regrown his right eye, but his left still had a gaping hole.

"So that's what you look like…" Kaneki stated nonchalantly before the nurse promptly fainted.

**A/N: And that's the end of chapter three! God I'm having so much fun writing this! Can't wait for the next chapter, so make sure to keep your eyes glued to this story, okay? Still looking for a proofreader so just make sure to PM me if you're interested. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Sunshine

**A/N: Hey guys! Another update, YAY! I wanted to ask y'all something: Do you think it's better to update faster with shorter chapters, or do you think it's better to update slower, but with longer chapters? Let me know in the Reviews or just PM me.**

Kaneki poked Emily in the side, hoping to wake her up. She just laid there, breathing slowly in and out. He couldn't help but smile at the sight, even though he knew he shouldn't since the person that was taking care of him basically fainted from fright, but he thought that was beside the point. Lifting his hand, he gently stroked her hair, waiting patiently for her to wake up. Something about this act caused nostalgia to run through him, an image at the back of his mind slowly coming forth. Taking it as a sign, he focused as much as he could, whatever it was becoming more and more clear. He almost had it until the door creaked open. Snapping him out of his mental focus, he looked towards the door. In the doorway stood a pink haired, short woman with a purple cape and skirt, and a white blouse.

"Is he awake yet Ms. Emi-" she cut herself off, staring at Kaneki with eyes the size of dinner plates. He was sitting up, something that was supposed to be physically impossible with how injured he was and the amount of time he had to heal, and one of his eyes had completely grown back, something in and of itself should never have down, she saw the nurse, Emily, still passed out on the side of the bed with his hand in her hair. Louise thought he had attacked the poor nurse, but after getting a closer look, saw that her body was rising slowly. She loosened a bit, but was still on edge. She had heard of minor body parts being regenerated with water magic, but to completely heal a completely missing organ was basically improbable in the fields of magic.

"H-how…?" She whispered, her only response being a head tilt from Kaneki, "how is your eye completely healed!? It's basically impossible for someone to regain something completely destroyed, even with the help of water magic!" She basically screamed. Kaneki only looked even more confused.

'So my eyes were completely gone? That explains the weird depth perception, but I thought that only part of the bandages were off...' Kaneki put his finger to his chin, losing himself in thought, all while a certain mage kept fuming off about the impossibilities of regrowing an eye. This went on for more than a few seconds, until Louise just stopped everything and let out a sigh of frustration.

"Look, I don't know how you got your eye back, but one thing's for certain, we need to cover up that gaping hole in your other eye, otherwise you're going to cause me and the students here some problems."

Louise grabbed the roll of gauze out of the nurses hand and began to unroll it, lacing one end on the top of Kaneki's head. He shifted slightly, feeling very uncomfortable at Louise's presence. With one last tug, she admired her handiwork and stood back up at her full height, which wasn't much considering she was barely above eye level with him.

"Now let's hurry up and get you out of bed. If you're well enough to sit up and look around, then you're well enough to serve me." She stated, Kaneki mentally questioning her meaning of 'serve'. She grabbed Kaneki by the wrist and pulling him towards the door. He resisted, Louise turning her head towards him in annoyance.

"I need to put her in the bed. She'll only wake up with a sore neck if she slept like that." Kaneki stated, pointing over to the sleeping form of the nurse. Her breathing becoming more noticeable and her body twitching every now and then. Louise only puffed once and walked out the open door. Kaneki moved quickly towards Emily, picking her up and gently placing her on the bed. He made sure everything was in order before turning around and walking towards the door. At least, that was the plan until he caught a glimpse of something dark on one of the desks. It looked like a pair of clothes, but he felt they were much more than that.

Kaneki picked up a piece of it, holding it out to its full length. The cloth was tinted completely black with open areas to allow greater movement. Strangely, he felt that it belonged to him. 'Might as well test my luck' He thought as he took off the loose pieces of clothing.

The clothes fit him perfectly. Each scrap perfectly aligned with his body and the amount of comfort it brought him was heavenly. 'Yup, this is definitely mine.' Kaneki gathered his old clothing, and placed them neatly in a pile before walking out and greeting the impatient Louise.

"What took you so long!?" She yelled, stopping herself as she took a good look at what he was wearing. "I see you found your clothes…" She said, looking very uncomfortable. She definitely didn't need to be reminded of what happened at the summoning ritual, and the closer she got to forgetting about it, the better. Kaneki only shook his head in response, waiting for his master to take the lead. Louise turned on her heel, walking through the corridors.

**[scene]**

Kaneki couldn't believe his eyes. The lush green and the vibrant blues stood out so much, that it hurt his eye. It was simply dazzling to him that such colors could become reality. He looked around, filling his mind with as much information as it could before he lost the opportunity. Many of the students dressed in cloaks similar to Louise were out and about, either talking to each other or spoiling their familiars. For Louise, the sight was anything but pleasant, but she needed to keep up appearances. After all, that is what a noble does.

Kaneki matched her speed, but kept himself a short distance away as to not invade her personal space. Some of the students turned their heads towards him, but the majority were either too wrapped up in their familiars, or in each other. Hushed whispers reached his ears, but he didn't care at all. He just wanted to find a way to get his memories back, and that ticket lied solely in the hands of Louise.

Louise found an empty table, stopping right next to a chair. She just stood there, staring at Kaneki while tapping her finger. "Well?" She questioned, annoyance slipping into her words.

"Well what?" Kaneki asked as he raised an eyebrow. If she expected him to pull out her chair, then she was sorely mistaken. Louise just kept tapping her finger, their internal battle rising. Eventually, Louise sighed for the umpteenth time and pulled her chair out. She mumbled something that sounded like 'A noble shouldn't have to do this if there is a servant around', to which Kaneki just rolled his eyes and left to go look around.

He really was amazed at how big the school was. It was like one of those castles he heard about that were supposed to be in England. He didn't even get to relish in details before something both hard and soft bumped into him with an 'ah!' He could tell right away who it was, if the 'ah' was any indication. Looking down, he saw Siesta on the ground, no doubt because of him, and was trying to regain her bearings.

"Need a hand?" He asked, reaching out said appendage in an attempt to help her onto her feet.

"Oh Kaneki! Glad to see you up and walking, but isn't it far too early for you to be up and walking about?" She asked, worry evident on her face. He smiled sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, yes, but trust me when I say I feel fine."

"But you still have bandages on!" She pouted, causing Kaneki to blush a bit at how she looked. He quickly regained his composure, taking note of the slight sweat glistening on her brow.

"I see you've been working very hard lately, huh?" he asked, a sly smile playing across his lips. Siesta, picking up what he meant, blushed. She held a metal tray, hiding behind it.

"You really shouldn't comment on a girl's appearance while she's working, it's very embarrassing…" Kaneki only chuckled a bit at the act, causing Siesta to pout even more.

"Seeing as how you're working right now, I'll leave you alone. It was great actually being able to see what you looked like." He said as he made his way back to Louise. He had no doubt that she was most likely throwing a fit.

"Alright then, Kaneki. Have a great day."

He found Louise not to far from where he was, sipping tea and rubbing its side. He felt a bit guilty at this, so he decided to make it up to her later.

"I'm back." He said, pulling out one of the chairs. Louise looked up, eyebrows furrowing as she prepared her little speech. Before she could even get a word out, someone from across the field was yelling at one of the maids, his towering form encompassing her. Upon closer inspection, Louise recognized the man. It was Guiche de Gramont, a player who always toyed with many of the girls here even though he was already engaged. Deciding to ignore it, she turned back towards her familiar, only to notice that he was no longer staring at her, but Guiche.

Kaneki stood up and walked towards the scene. Louise, noticing this, attempted to grab his attention.

"Oy! What do you think you're doing? There's nothing you can do, so don't go over there." She stated, but that wasn't enough to grab his attention. Instead of outright screaming at him, she pulled onto one of the sleeves on his shirt. Clearly, that was a very poor choice of action. Kaneki looked down at her with what could only be said as a murderous stare. Louise stood stock still, no longer attempting to grab his attention, only watching as he went towards Guiche and the black haired maid.

**[Scene]**

"How dare you speak such lies and try to sully the name of Gramont!" Guiche screamed while pointing his rose at Siesta. She couldn't believe what was happening. One minute she was giving back the perfume Mr. Gramont threw away, then the next he was outright screaming at her. Calling her a liar and that she would be imprisoned for life. She could feel the fear welling up inside her as she just laid there, taking the abusive words of the noble. Her tears were beginning to pour down her cheeks, greatly wishing for anything to stop him, even if it meant disappearing.

"I swear on my family name that I will have you han-' Guiche was cut off as a sliver of white appeared in his line of sight.

"Siesta, are you hurt?" Kaneki asked as he lifted the maid onto her feet, her tears stopping instantly as she looked up to see her friend.

"K-Kaneki..?" She asked, hardly believing it was really him. The man in question looked at her with a gentle smile as he led her away, but didn't get more than two feet before Guiche started up again.

"Are you that actor that Louise paid off during the summoning? You must definitely have no manners or pride to show your face around the likes of me. Especially since you're getting in the way of me putting that commoner in her place." He stated with gusto, waving his rose around while placing a hand on his head. Kaneki paid him no mind as he continued to walk away. Guiche, noticing his failed attempt to gain his attention, placed a hand on Kaneki's shoulder.

"**Remove your hand if you don't want to lose it.**" Kaneki said in a voice that sent a chill down Guiche's spine. His instincts were telling him to do as he said, but his pride was overriding him.

"You dare threaten the great Guiche?" He said, smiling, "Fine, then I challenge you to a duel!" He practically yelled out the last sentence. The group that had formed when Guiche was having his little show all gasped in unison. Duels were forbidden within school grounds, and yet here he was, challenging a commoner to a duel. Guiche's smile never left his face, for he expected the commoner to shake in his boots and beg for forgiveness.

"Okay." Kaneki said, catching Guiche off-guard. This had turned into the worse possible outcome for him, but he knew that if he showed any hesitation, his honor as a mage would be completely tarnished.

"Then I will meet you at Vestri Court!" He yelled before leaving the area.

**A/N: And that's the end of Chapter four! Yay! Alright, so I know you guys are excited for the fight between Guiche and Kaneki, and just a little head's up: I'm going to try and put in as much detail as I can in the fight, however, don't expect something very grandiose since I've never really written a fight scene. Any feedback or tips would be very helpful, so please PM me or write a review :D**


	5. Ghoul or Man?

**A/N: Hey guys! You ready for the big bad battle!? Don't be, cause I just don't know how it will turn out xD. Anyway, let's get on with the story, since I know that's what you all like.**

"Are you out of your mind!?" Louise screamed while pointing a finger at Kaneki. Kaneki, helping Siesta onto a chair, looked back at her.

"No, I'm not. A person who just sits back and watches his friend get threatened doesn't deserve them." He countered, looking back at Siesta. "Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked, observing her for any bruising or cuts.

"N-No I'm fine, thank you. If you hadn't have stepped in, I don't know what would've happened…" She looked down at her shaking hands, still frightened at what Guiche did.

"Oh for Brimir's sake, who cares about some maid! What's more important right now is the fact that you challenged a _noble_ to a duel! You're going to get yourself slaughtered! There's no way a commoner could beat a noble!" She frustratingly stomped her foot as she finished. Kaneki only gave her a glare before standing up.

"Siesta, I know it's a lot to ask of you right now, but can you take me to this 'Vestri Court'?"

Siesta looked up at him with tear trails marking her cheeks. Wiping them quickly, she stood up. " I can, but please don't do anything rash. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I got my friend hurt or even killed because of me…." She looked down at her hands again. Kaneki put on his best smile, clamping a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Siesta. I'm done doing this because of you. I'm doing this because someone needs to put that stuck up bastard in his place." He let go of her shoulder, waiting for her to take the lead. Siesta couldn't help but smile at his words while walking towards their destination. Kaneki stopped and looked back at Louise. "You can either sit there and complain, or you can go with us and watch the fight."

"Oh I'm going to complain to you, alright! And I'm going to do it all the way there!" She said, stomping her foot again while storming off towards them.

**[Scene]**

Kaneki couldn't believe his eyes. There were so many people gathered in a circle, all of them second years if the color of their cloaks meant anything. The students saw him and some of them made a path for him as he drew closer, some shocked that he had actually shown up. Entering, he saw Guiche at the far end of the ring, boasting about how he was going to put the commoner in his place. Kaneki just ignored him, the students behind him closing the path he entered.

"So the commoner decided to show his face! I'm actually quite surprised you didn't run away with your tail between your legs like a kicked mutt. As a commendation from a gentleman, I'll give you one last chance to apologize. I'll even let that maid off with a slap on the wrist." Guiche entered his usual pose, some of the second years swooning over his act of "kindness".

"Are you just going to bark all day or are we going to finish this little facade?" Kaneki spat, gaining a look of disgust from Guiche and some of the swooners.

"Fine! If a commoner doesn't want to accept my kindness, then I'll just have to teach him how scary a mage can be!" Guiche tossed in three petals from his rose, said rose petals glowing brightly before becoming empty suits of armor. Kaneki eyes widened slightly at this.

'So this is magic…" He pondered, studying their physique. 'They don't look all that intimidating.' The crowd looked on in amusement while Guiche held his rose to his face while smiling.

"Remember this well, commoner, for this will be the last time you hear it. My runic name is Guiche the Bronze, dot class earth mage." He entered his signature pose, the swooners once again swooning. Kaneki just scoffed at his antics, Guiche growing red from anger. He pointed his wand at him, ordering his Valkyries to attack. They didn't even get a single step before something small and pink rushed into the battleground.

"Stop!" Louise yelled, surprising Guiche. He ordered his Valkyries to stop, confused as to why Louise had just ran in.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked, scowling at her for interrupting his duel. She fidgeted a bit under his gaze, but stood her ground.

"Please forgive my familiar for acting so rude towards you. If you let him go I promise it won't happen again." She stated, looking up at him with eyes full of plea. Guiche only scoffed at her, pointing his rose in her direction.

"You're asking me to forgive this commoner, who sullied me and my name not once, but twice!? He sternly asked, folding his arms as he looked down on her. Louise looked back at Kaneki before doing something nobody had expected from her. She bowed before Guiche, the crowd gasping at her. Kaneki heard someone in the crowd yell 'Louise, what are you doing!?" before going quiet.

"Please, I beg of you, forgive my familiar for his misdeeds." Guiche was completely stunned. not in a million years did he expect this proud, selfish girl to bow her head to him. He couldn't help but smirk at Louise, twirling his rose in hand. His gaze went from Louise to her familiar.

"I'll only accept that apology if your familiar bows his head as well."

Louise couldn't believe what she was hearing. After all of that, he still wouldn't forgive him!? She should've known what he would do, and it was her fault for not playing the scenario enough in her mind. She could only pray to Brimir for her stubborn familiar to bow his head as well.

"If you're done with the theatrics, then I hope you're ready. Louise, I advise you move unless you want to get hurt." Kaneki said, unshaken from her antics. She only gaped at him, Guiche even more furious. Kaneki only ignored him, taking off his over coat as His body suit was fully exposed to the world.

"Oh father Brimir look at those abs!" Some red haired girl yelled, the rest of the crowd silently admiring his build.

"Valkyries, attack!" Guiche yelled, pointing his rose at Kaneki. Kaneki easily dodged a punch headed straight for his stomach Another one dashed towards him, aiming for his head. He quickly placed his hand on the ground, twisting as he kicked the suit of armor in the head. The Valkyrie had no chance as it completely broke apart and vanished. Regaining his balance, he jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding an attack from the third one.

'They are so much easier to predict than I thought they were going to be.' he thought, eyes swiftly picking out punch after punch, bringing the crowd to awe. He smirked, turning on his heel and planting a swift sidekick to the Valkyrie's abdomen. It shattered like glass.

'two down, one more to go.' he smirked as a bronze leg came crashing down towards his head. Kaneki's hand shot up, catching the appendage mid-strike before lifting it and slamming the rest of its body into the ground. Just like the others, it shattered and dissipated into dust. The crowd clapped loudly, a fat blond boy harassing Guiche as he laughed with the rest.

"Is that all you got? That was barely a warm-up." Kaneki deadpanned, Guiche's rage becoming even more ferocious. Throwing out his rose again, 6 petals fell to the floor, and in their wake six Valkyries appeared. Each one held a weapon in their hands, ranging from spears to swords.

"Guiche, are you insane! You're going to kill him!" Louise yelled, trying to get Guiche to stop. Guiche only grunted in anger, ordering the Valkyries to attack once again, this time in a group. Kaneki jumped into the air, avoiding the stabs and slashes from the suits, only to get knocked back down by a powerful axe kick. The ground broke apart as he hit the earth, coughing up blood in the process. Kaneki laid there, unmoving.

"Kaneki!" Louise yelled as she ran towards his prone form. She didn't even get close to him before he stood back up to his full height. The bones in his arms completely shattered. Louise was about to grab him and take him to the infirmary, but stopped herself as she saw the look on his face.

"Louise, get back in the crowd…" He said, Louise flinching at the complete _**glee**_ that shown through his eyes. She backed up as fast as she could, Siesta appearing next to her.

"Miss Louise, what happened!? Is Kaneki alright!?" She asked, looking at Louise for any information. Louise's face looked like she had seen death itself smiling back at her. Siesta could only watch as she walked right passed her and out the crowd. 'something is definitely wrong here!' Siesta told herself, getting as close as she could toward Kaneki and Guiche.

Kaneki stretched out his arms, loud cracking noises resounding through the field as his bones melded back together. Many of the students took on looks of disgust and some even looked close to vomiting. Guiche couldn't believe his eyes as he saw broken bones meld back and take on their former shape. He felt fear well into him, sweat dripping down his face as he stared at this monstrosity.

Kaneki felt absolute pleasure pouring from his body. Though he could feel the pain, it felt only like a little bug had bit him, and the euphoria in his system was definitely helping. 'What is this?' he asked himself, the bones finally done mending together.

'**Kaneki**.' He heard her voice, almost silent, resound through the back of his mind. '**Kaneki, use me...**' she said seductively. He felt her arms wrap around him once more, slowly melting into his being. He looked up, Guiche completely terrified

"Sorry Guiche, but I think it's about time we end this." Kaneki brought his hand up, and with a pull of his thumb, an even louder crack echoing through the field. Immediately after, two crimson tentacles appeared from his back. "_**Right?**_"

**A/N: And there it is people! The dreaded cliffhanger! Yeah, I know you all want to read more of my horrible fight scenes, but I need y'all coming back for more, don't I? Anyway, I wanna know what you all want to happen to Guiche. Do you want him to die, get severely hurt, or just get off Scot-free like nothing ever happened (beside the great fear he will have every time he sees Kaneki)? Let me know in Pm's and Reviews!**


	6. Hunger

**A/N: Hey guys, I know it's been a bit, but I have an excuse! Ya see, my senior year is coming to an end, and I have to make sure I graduate. I'm taking a lot of classes and doing projects to make sure my grades stay above a C so they don't hold me back. gotta get that diploma! So that's the reason in case you were wondering why the updates haven't been coming out everyday. They will be a bit shorter than usual, but I'll try and crack out as much as possible for you all to enjoy. And I know many of you are going to say Quality of Quantity, but I know what it's like to wait for a chapter that has a lot of quality, but not enough quantity. So I'll try to balance the two. Oh I left a little joke in there for you lol.****Anyway Let's get on with the story!**

"Is that an illusion!?" Someone from the crowd asked.

"N-no that can't be an illusion! It's too solid to be one!" Someone else countered, Mass panic erupting from the crowd. Siesta could barely see Kaneki, but she knew something was wrong. There was no way the crowd would panic over a commoner getting hurt. 'I need to hurry and get to his side!' She mentally screamed at herself. 'Please be alright, Kaneki!'

**[Scene]**

Kaneki could hear the crowd's reactions, making him shiver slightly. He couldn't explain it, but whatever he was feeling made him smile something foul, which didn't go unnoticed.

"W-w-w-what are you!?" Guiche screamed, urinating himself as he backed away. Kaneki didn't say a single word, taking a step forward. Guiche screamed again, pointing his rose toward him, his valkyries rushing Kaneki with deadly precision, but it wasn't enough. With a swift jump, he slammed all four of his tentacles into the ground, knocking dust and debris into the air. Everyone had to cover their eyes with their arms or cloaks. As the dust cleared, the suits of armor were crushed, save for one. Guiche was petrified with fear, legs shaking as he stared at the monstrosity before his eyes.

"Still one left? Could've sworn I got you all." In a flash, Kaneki was behind the valkyrie, his arm stuck through the bronze like it was play-doh. It disappeared in a puff of smoke, the crowd looking on in a daze of amazement and fear.

'H-how can a commoner be so strong!?" Someone yelled out, backing away slightly. A red haired girl licked her lips slightly, a mix of fear and delight rushing through her body. A blue haired girl wielding a staff looked on, expressionless.

Kaneki slowly walked towards guiche, his smile growing more sadistic with each step. Guiche didn't even realize he was walking towards him until he heard the loud cracking noise come from his direction. His instincts kicked in and he raised his arms to defend himself.

"I-I-I surrender! You win, just please don't kill me!" He begged and pleaded, sobbing. Kaneki only stared at this sad excuse of a man, weeping with snot all over his face. Kaneki didn't even give him pity, turning his back, he walked away from him. Guiche still held his hands up, waiting for the final strike that would never come. He slowly moved his arms away, afraid that if he even let down his guard a tiny bit, it would be the end of him. What he heard next brought despair, guilt, and pity, hitting him like a ton of bricks.

"Don't you ever go near my friend again. Be happy that I'm sparing your life, since someone as weak and pathetic as you has no right to live." He turned his head to look at Guiche, part of his bandages ripped from being slammed into the ground earlier. Guiche looked up, and for the second time that day wet himself. Looking back at him wasn't the usual grey and white of a normal human eye, but an unholy black and crimson red. Kaneki continued, the crowd putting as much distance between him and them.

**[Scene]**

Kaneki pounded his fist against the wall, shaking uncontrollably all while coughing his guts out. The feeling he had since the beginning of the fight intensifying with every second. He didn't know why it was happening, but he knew one thing for certain, he was **hungry**. His mind was telling him not to give in to the desires, but his body was quickly overpowering him.

'Kaneki', something whispered into his ear. He didn't need her here right now, he needed to focus on fighting this urge! 'You must eat, Kaneki. We are so hungry. You must feed us.' It said in a hushed whisper, seduction and the sound of sweet nothings dripping off its words. He could barely hold on, his mouth over-flowing with saliva. His Kakune becoming more and more uncontrollable. As soon as he thought he was about to lose it, the sound of footsteps approached from behind him. Finally, something to quell this ferocious appetite! Kaneki turned his head, his red eye staring at his meal, only to go wide eyed at the person standing there.

"K-Kaneki…?" Siesta asked, stepping backwards slightly as she saw the drooling, hunched over form of Kaneki looking back at her. He snapped himself out of whatever he was thinking, trying to form words that wouldn't come out. His mouth opened up and closed repeatedly, until he managed to form a single word.

"Siesta…" he spoke in a hushed tone. He could feel something else push it's way up into his mind. something familiar, yet still felt like a dream. The images that flashed through his mind played out like a movie. He could see himself hunched over, a mask of some kind hanging over his face. someone was crouched down in front of him, hand placed on his shoulder. the man had blonde hair and was smiling at him, mouthing something that he couldn't quite catch. He could barely hear what the man was saying, noise filling his mind. It only grew louder as he tried to ignore it. Kaneki needed to hear what that man had said. **Heneededtoheneededtoheneededtohenee-**

"Kaneki! Wake up! Please!" Siesta cried out as she shook him. Kaneki barely opened his eyes, his ears ringing. He could barely take hold of his surroundings, but the soft feeling of the beds made its way into his mind, along with something sweet coursing through his mouth. He looked over and saw Siesta sitting there, crying her eyes out. He tried to touch her face, but only managed a slight lift. His effort didn't go unnoticed as she quickly grabbed it, yelling out his name as she squeezed his hand tightly. He could feel himself fading out again, but before the darkness consumed him, something else caught his eye. Siesta had a bandage heavily wrapped around her shoulder, the color of crimson staining the usual white.


	7. Masks

**A/N: Hey guys, this ones gonna be a bit longer since a lot of people are telling me they're a bit too short. I'm still stuck with school, but so far it's becoming easier and easier to get things done! So, once school is over, I can get back to updating this. Also, heads up, I may be creating a Rosario + Vampire x Tokyo Ghoul story sometime in the future, so look forward to that. Anyway, back to the readings!**

Kaneki sat in the same metal chair, staring blankly at his surroundings through the thick darkness. He could barely see this time, the darkness less thick than his first time there. The area was full of checker patterns, the chair most likely in the center of the room. He expected the girl from before to show up and try to toy with him, whispering hints or just outright teasing him for his memory loss, but somehow, he felt that this time wa different. He could feel the chills building up inside him, as if his instincts were screaming at him to run away.

'I need to leave this place...' Kaneki thought as he tried to stand up, but didn't even get to move a centimeter before he felt something like shackles wrap around his legs and arms. At this realization he went from complete caution to outright panic. He couldn't remember what had happened, but his body sure as hell did. He thrashed left and right, trying to break free from the situation, but it was all for naught.

"Kaneki…" A horse whisper came from his left, right in his blind spot. He tried to turn his head, but his body wouldn't do what he told it to. He nearly had a panic attack at the sound of snapping. His body tensed as his breathing became even more irregular.

"Have you ever heard of the chinese red headed centipede…?" The man asked, the snapping getting closer to his ear. "I'm gonna try putting this guy in your ear, all right?"

Kaneki screamed.

**[scene]**

"Where is that stupid familiar!?" A pink-haired mage walked through the halls, mumbling to herself as she tried to find the room of her familiar. Currently, she was inside the servants quarters after hearing something about a maid carrying the unconscious body of the monster. She wandered aimlessly, trying to figure out which door inside the building held him.

"Oh for Brimir's sake, why do I have to go through this place!? It's all because that stupid, disobedient familiar not listening to me…" She trailed off, finding the door she was looking for, it was slightly ajar, and she could see Kaneki inside, fast asleep. She winced as she recalled the look he gave her after she ran to him, his smile sending chills down her spine.

'He's a madman' She thought, entering the room. The door creaked slightly as it turned on its hinges, giving full view to the pinkette. She tensed up, before walking in and stopping beside his bed. 'He's a madman, but he is still my familiar.' She placed a hand on his head, staring into his silk-like face. His white hair and skin making him seem like a ghost. 'how did you end up like this…?' Her face softened slightly, before trying to lean in for a closer look, but didn't even get to move before his eyes opened and he shot up in his bed with a scream. Louise, startled by this, backpedalled away from him with her arms up in a silly pose. She stayed like that for a few moments before she noticed the look on Kaneki's face. He was breathing heavily and his expression showed extreme fear and stress.

Louise felt a wave of pity wash over her as she stared at him. Kaneki quickly regained his bearings, placing a hand over his face and laughing slightly.

"It's just a dream. It's just a dream. Nothing more…" He trailed off, sitting there with his head in his hands. Louise coughed a bit to get Kaneki's attention, said person lifting his head up instantly at the unexpected noise. He calmed down a bit at seeing her, his face expressionless as he waited for her to speak.

"H-How are you feeling…?" Louise asked, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot as he just sat their unblinkingly.

"I'm fine, thank you. Do you need anything from me?" He asked, half expecting her to try and force an apology out of him for the way he acted yesterday. Louise wondered why he would ask that. It was fairly common for an aristocrat to worry about their familiars health, even if they weren't fully deserving of it.

"Why would I need anything from a disobedient familiar? I only came here to see how you were doing, since it's my job as your master, but now that I see that you're alright, I have no need to talk to you." She huffed as she crossed her arms, turning her head up as if looking down on an ant. Kaneki visibly grew annoyed at this, tapping his finger against the side of the bed. He sigh after a couple seconds, taking a look around the room. He noticed at first that he wasn't in the infirmary like last time. He turned back to louise, who was still looking up.

"By the way, where am I?" He asked, Louise breaking out of her pose to give him a confused look.

"You're in the servant's quarters. The rumors said that you were carried here by a maid. Guess they were true if one of the maids here knew you by the color of your hair." She stated matter-of-factly.

"Hey, Kaneki. When you were fighting Guiche, you seemed like a whole other person. Is there something you're not telling me?" Louise asked, tilting her head slightly. Kaneki looked up, focusing on her eyes. Louise felt a bit uncomfortable, but managed to hide it well. Kaneki looked back down into his lap, trying to remember what happened, but only ended up in drawing a blank. He could clearly remember the fight with Guiche, but after that it was only static.

"No, but I feel like whoever the person I was, had probably lived a tragic life…" He trailed off. Louise's expression becoming dejected as They sat in silence, the air holding a type of thickness to it. Louise decided to break the tension, standing up and heading for the door. She turned her head to look at him, Kaneki still looking into his lap as if he was lost in thought. She sighed again, before making herself seem more confident.

"If you're well enough to sit up and talk, then you're well enough to take orders from your master. I'm going to be heading to town, and I need someone to carry the baggage." She said, placing her hands on her hips as she looked down on him. Kaneki just sat there for a bit, before smiling slightly and getting himself out of bed.

"Yes, _master_." He stretched the word out a bit, as if to mock her. Louise smiled a bit as well before they both went out the door.

**[Scene]**

The town was fluctuating with activity. People running about from store to store looking to buy whatever suited their fancy. Kids running around, pointing sticks at each other and yelling out some type of made-up spell from their imagination. Kaneki and Louise were walking through town, some of the people staring at them, well mostly at Kaneki. Some whispered about the color of his hair, some calling it unnatural while others called it a sign of beauty. Others commented on his attire, but he just ignored those ones. Louise was looking intently at many of the stalls, but none of them catching her eye.

"What store are we looking for?" He asked, Louise still studying every stall.

"I'm looking for a weapons shop to get you some armor and maybe something that you can use to protect yourself." She stated, Kaneki raising an eyebrow at her.

"Why would I need armor and a weapon when I know that I can protect myself?" He countered back, Louise visibly becoming irritated. She turned to look at him, pointing a finger at him.

"You may be able to fight bare-handed, but that can only take you so far! You need something else to protect yourself with, even if it's just a piece of metal!" She stomped her foot in front of him, causing him to back up a bit at the outburst. 'Jeez, talk about being hot-headed.' He thought, going back to following her on her errand. They stopped in front of a weapons store. The place looked a bit rundown, but overall was very kempt. They walked inside, finding many weapons and armor loitered around the store. Some were hanged on walls and shelves, while others were placed in barrels.

The owner stood behind the counter, looking at the pair with slight animosity. Kaneki tensed up a bit, expecting the man to attack them. The man smiled at the two, but his animosity still showed through his eyes.

"How can I help you, miss?" He asked, walking up to them while rubbing his hands together. Kaneki stepped in front of Louise, giving the man a death glare. He fliched, backing away slightly as Kaneki continued to stare at the man. Louise intervened, walking in front of him.

"We need one of your best swords." She stated, the air around her seeming to yell arrogance. The man went to the back of the store, quickly bringing out a golden sword with a jewel on it.

"This is the best sword I have right now, greatly crafted in Germania." He stated, showing the sword off to Louise.

"How much is it?" She asked, giving the man an inquisitive look. He smiled, placing the sword on the counter.

"It's three thousand newgold." Louise's jaw nearly dropped at the insane price.

"T-Three thousand newgold!? You can buy a mansion and some land with that price!" She screamed, placing her hands on the counter.

"Why of course. The price shows the quality of the sword. Every noble knows this." He stated, smirking at her. Louise grounded her teeth before leaving the store owner and his shop, pulling Kaneki along with her.

"What a freakin' rip off! How can such a sword cost so much!? Sure, it may have been made in Germania, but that doesn't mean that it'll be good!" She ranted stomping through the town. Kaneki looking impassively at her as she stomped. They continued this for a couple minutes until something caught Kaneki's eye. The sign showed a mask with some of the country's language filling the sign. He could feel a sense of familiarity with it, his body reacting instinctively. Louise was still ranting, but stopped when she realized Kaneki had stopped following her.

"Familiar…?" She looked around, catching a glimpse of him walking into a random store. She scowled, cursing under her breath before following him in.

Kaneki looked around the store, checker marks littered the floor, giving him a deep sense of nostalgia. Different types of masks hanged from the walls, some looking like animals while others just looked downright monstrous. Then, something caught his eye. It was a black leather mask with an eyepatch over its right eye. its mouth was set in a type of sneer with a zipper, bolts adorning the neck area as well. Overall, it looked like something out of a horror story, but he couldn't explain this feeling. Like something was calling to him.

"Familiar! what do you think you're doing!?" Louise screamed from behind him, grabbing his arm. Kaneki didn't even realize she was there.

"Sorry. This mask just caught my eye for some reason…" He looked at the mask, his eyes going glossy. Louise was slightly worried about him, looking between him and the mask. She sighed, ringing the bell on the counter to gain the store owner's attention. The owner walked out of the backroom, several masks hanging from her shoulder. She had flowing red hair, wearing an apron with a bit of paint on it. Her eyes looked very tired and she had a small scar on her neck.

"How can I help you?" She asked, placing the pile on the counter. Louise stared at this woman, getting a sense of caution from her.

"I'd like to buy this mask here. How much is it?"

"100 newgold." The woman stated, pulling out a needle and thread. Louise looked a bit surprised, expecting the price to be more, but didn't complain. She pulled out 100 newgold and placed it on the counter.

"Thank you for your patronage." She said, not even looking up from her work. Louise didn't even bother commenting on it, taking the mask off of the mannequin and giving it to Kaneki. He just stared at it, before being dragged out of the store.

"That mask looks so creepy. I don't know how you like it, but don't wear it when you're with me." Kaneki only nodded in response, looking back down at the mask in his hands. Whatever this mask was, he felt that it held the key to regaining his memories, but he felt what awaited him was only **despair**.


	8. Bad Blood

**A/N: Hey guys! been awhile, huh? I just graduated, so I can make more chapters! I also signed up for the Navy and am awaiting a shipping date. I think it'll be somewhere in september or december, but hopefully sometime in the fall. Anyway, here's another chapter of everyone's favourite story, and hopefully I can stick to a schedule of one every week. Maybe two weeks since I have ghoul and vampire to work on. Cheers!**

Kaneki and Louise returned to her room, Louise tired and groggy while Kaneki looked like he was deep in thought. Louise stood in the middle of her room and lifted her arms while Kaneki moved to sit down in the hay on the floor. He didn't even notice the forced cough Louise gave him as he continued to stare off into space.

"Familiar!" She screamed, Kaneki lifted his head, Louise giving him an annoyed expression. "Undress me."

"Why?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She huffed and turned to point a finger at him.

"It's the job of a familiar to do whatever its master says, I told you this already for Brimir's sake!"

"I may be your familiar, but doing something that you yourself can do is pointless. Why don't you stop being lazy and do it yourself?"

"A noble such as myself would never stoop so low as to change my clothes if there is a servant here to do it for me." She raised her chin and put her hands on her hips, as if to signal someone looking down on an unworthy being. Kaneki merely sighed, and did what he was demanded. He didn't feel like hearing her mouth. Kaneki dressed her in her gown and went back to his haystack, observing the mask again as he made himself a bit more comfortable. Louise went to sleep, leaving Kaneki alone with his thoughts.

'Why does this mask look so familiar? It gives me the sense of nostalgia, but also a slight pain.' He felt around the edges of the leather, tilting the mask here and there to see if there was anything inscribed somewhere. Finding nothing, he sighed. 'Might as well try it on.' He unzipped the nape of the mask, placing it over the form of his face. It fit perfectly, as if it was made specifically for him. The mask felt cold, yet refreshing. Even though part of his vision was shrouded in darkness, he felt he could see everything.

"It suits you." A hushed voice rang through the room, startling Kaneki and making him jump up. He looked around, finding no one in the room besides the unconscious body of Louise.

"Who's there?" He asked, readying himself for a fight. Nothing creaked or tried to take him by surprise, but he kept his stance for a little bit before sighing again and sitting back down on his makeshift bed. "Now I'm starting to hear things outside my dreams. Great~..." Kaneki laid his head on a part of the hay and closed his eyes. 'Hopefully I can get a piece of who I am tomorrow. Maybe keeping Siesta as a friend will help me regain some of my memories, hell, it doesn't hurt to have a few friends to keep you sane.' Kaneki thought as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

**[Scene]**

The next morning wasn't very serene. Kaneki awoke to the sound of Louise getting changed and yelling at him for not waking her up on time. He groggily sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Louise was just pulling up her skirt before turning towards him.

"You are prohibited from eating breakfast or lunch!" She yelled, going back to dressing herself. 'Wait, when was the last time I ate?' Kaneki asked himself, trying to recall the last time he ate something. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember a time he ate in the last three days, but somehow he felt full and healthy. He shook his head and stood up.

"Familiar, hurry up and let's go! We're going to be late!" Louise grabbed his arm and dragged him down the corridor out onto the main field. Louise barely made it on time to her class, but Kaneki was forced to stay outside with the rest of the familiars. He was stuck sitting on the ground, a couple of the students quickly walking past him, too scared to look directly at him. Kaneki decided to look at some of the different types of familiars, many of whom didn't even look like animals. One was a floating eyeball, which unnerved Kaneki a lot. It kept staring at him, but not going anywhere near him which, for him, was a good thing.

"God those classes take so long! I wish I had a good book to read…" Kaneki thought aloud, pushing his fingers through his hair. He sighed, until the familiar sound of footsteps reach his ears. 'Finally!' He thought, standing up and waiting for the students to come through the double doors. A few seconds later, a crowd of second years came through, many of whom looked directly towards him and froze. They quickly walked towards their familiars and fast-walked away. He ignored them, and Louise came out arguing with a redhead. A small girl with glasses and blue hair walked through the doors with them, a book in her hands. He was very tempted to walk up to her and ask what she was reading, but Louise stopped him before he could move.

"Familiar, we're leaving!" She screamed at him, boiling with fury. He gave her a confused look, turning his head back to the redhead and the small girl. The redhead winked at him, puffing out her chest slightly while the small girl didn't even acknowledge his existence.

"Sweet Brimir, that woman makes me so mad!" She yelled at noone in particular, keeping her brisk pace as they headed somewhere only Louise knew. She stopped in the middle of the field, turning her furious gaze towards Kaneki. "You are forbidden to speak or go near that woman!" She poked her finger in his chest. Kaneki merely scoffed and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Since when were you in charge of who I can and can't talk to?" He asked rhetorically, Louise becoming even more infuriated.

"Since the time I became your master! Now you will listen to your master, or you won't get any food for the next two days!" By this time there was steam coming out her ears. Kaneki turned and walked away from her, leaving her in her own fumes.

"Just so you know, I became your familiar to find a way to regain my memories. I may be your familiar in title, but I will never listen to your meaningless orders." Kaneki said before going inside one of the many towers, leaving Louise in a stupor of pure fury.

"Fine! I didn't even want a useless familiar like you anyway!" She screamed back at him, turning on her heel and stomping away.

**[Scene]**

Louise sat alone in part of the many fields the academy held, huffing as she calmed herself down. Looking back on what she said, she realized she was in the wrong for taking her anger out on her familiar. 'I know I shouldn't have yelled at him like that, but all he had to do was say "okay" or "yes". It's his fault for not agreeing with me!' she reasoned with herself, trying to find some excuse for her actions. She sighed again. "I shouldn't be making excuses and blaming others for my actions. It's unbecoming of a noble such as myself." She said to herself, standing up and dusting herself off. She turned to head back and apologize, when she saw the maid the familiar was so fond of walking out of one of the towers carrying laundry.

"Hey, servant!" She yelled, trying to gain Siesta's attention. She looked up, seeing the pinkette running towards her. She tensed up a bit, not fully understanding why she was calling to her.

"M-miss Valliere? How can I help you?" She said bowing her head.

"You're friends with that familiar, right? Why is he so fond of you?" She asked, Siesta giving her a confused look. Louise sighed again, putting her hands on her hips. "I said, why is he so fond of you? Why does he openly put himself in harm's way for someone as lowly as you when he already has someone as great as me around?" She huffed, shooting Siesta an annoyed expression. As soon as Louise finished her sentence, Siesta went from confused to downright infuriated.

"Well, for someone of your stature, one would think you would know something about your own familiar. Well, if you must know so badly, then maybe you should stop treating him like an animal and more like a human being. He isn't a slave!" She yelled, but just as soon as the words left her mouth, she dropped the laundry and put her hands up to her mouth, trying her best to apologize for speaking out against Louise. Louise stood there dumbstruck, Siesta's words barely being encoded in her brain. "Miss Valliere…?"

"So it's my fault then…" Louise mumbled, turning away from Siesta and walking off towards the main building.

"Miss Valliere!" Siesta called out, but was only greeted with silence as Louise left the courtyard they were in.

Louise was determined to find her familiar. She needed to apologize to him now before things took a turn for the worse. Only now did she realize her mistake. She had been treating him like a mindless animal, a slave with no will of its own. With a pump of her fist, he vowed to treat him like a normal person. She entered the main building and saw him standing there, eyes glossed over.

"K-Kaneki…" She hesitated, shaking her head a bit before renewing her resolve. "Kaneki, I'm sorry about what I did earlier. It was uncalled for and I shouldn't have yelled at you." She hung her head a bit, waiting for a reaction. her response came from a dull thud, and when she looked back at him, Kaneki was on the ground. She hurried to his side, cradling his head in her arms.

"Kaneki!" She yelled, her words falling on deaf ears as Kaneki's eyes closed.

**A/N: Hey guys! finally done with this chapter! Just to let you know, I skipped Count Mott's arc because I don't believe there is any relevance to it for this story. I already got the needed relationship for Kaneki and Siesta, so everything should be good. We start Fouquet's scene next chapter with the familiar talent show thingy! Hurray!**


	9. Forgiveness and Worry

**A/N: Yo! Sorry for the less-than-excusable update rate guys. I'm just been procrastinating this story since, I've been drawing a lot and the new season of anime have started up. I won't make any promises for updates, but I'll still keep this story alive, if barely! Very sorry for my lack of willpower, but I'll do my best! Anyway, the chapter you've all been looking forward to starts now!**

Kaneki was completely lost. He looked from one end of the hall to the other, both looking endless with multiple doors leading to only-god-knows-where. He sighed, scratching the back of his head as he chose a random hall and walked down it. After a few minutes, he found a strange looking double-door, emblazoned with gold, silver, and other such metals. Curious, he opened it slightly, a small creak coming from the hinges. He poised his ears, listening for any sound that seemed suspicious. not a sound was made as he listened, deeming it safe to enter. What he found were hundreds and hundreds of books, ranging from thick to thin, in writing he didn't understand. He mentally salivated, his love for books one of the few things he could remember. He mentally marked the area, hoping to come back when he learned the written language. Taking one last look, he made to turn when suddenly a young voice came from behind him.

"Looking for a book?" Kaneki immediately turns around, ready to defend himself if need be, but finds the small, blue-haired girl he saw with the red-head. She held a large staff, taller than she was, and a thick tome under her arm. Kaneki tensed at the sight of her weapon, but loosened up a bit as he saw her expression was of impassiveness instead of malice. He took a good look at her before answering her question.

"Yes, but I cannot read the language." He states, looking solemnly back towards the stacks of books. The blue haired girl points to herself, then back to Kaneki.

"Teach?" She asked simply, tilting her head slightly. Kaneki smiles slightly, a girl he had never met before offering to teach him their language? It almost made him laugh, but something felt off about her offer, as if there was something else to it entirely.

"It's alright, I don't really plan on staying here too long." He said, moving to close the door. He turned towards the short mage, bowing a bit. "Thank you for the offer." Kaneki said, walking back down the long hallway, before stopping as he remembered something important. "By the way, what was your name again?" He tilted his head in mock confusion while scratching the back of his head.

"...Tabitha." She hesitantly said. Kaneki mentally marked her name, turning to face her.

"Kaneki." He turned around once again to leave, Tabitha watching with half-lidded eyes. She turned around, walking into the library to drop off her book on mythical and exotic creatures.

**[scene]**

Kaneki, through some sheer stroke of luck, managed to find the entrance he took to enter the building. He went to open the door when he heard a sultry, hushed voice snicker above him. He looked up, only to see the same woman from his nightmares. He tensed up immediately, jumping back as quickly as possible away from her. He bumped into something hard. He looked back, and nearly screamed when the sight of a once white hockey mask, now covered in blood, entered his full view. He tried his best to move, but the man's hands held him firmly in place.

"Now now, don't be rude. I just wanna talk, is that so much to ask?" She said, appearing next to him in an instant. Kaneki could feel his heart beating in his chest, adrenaline pumping through him like a raging river. He tried to shake from the man's grasp, but failed. The woman laughed, tapping his head like he was a child, before closing the little distance they had between their faces. She smiled slyly, placing both of her fingers against his temple.

"I'm going to leave you with a little gift, a bit of a hint to your past. Here's a warning since you seem to be enjoying those around you, don't get involved if you want to keep the friends you have right now and the ones you'll make. Oh, and this will hurt a lot." Her smile was too big for her face, her eyes turning black with a red pupil barely visible within the inky black sclera. He could feel an intense heat push towards the center of his mind, the darkness filling the corners of his vision. The faint sound of his body hitting the floor barely made a scratch on the surface in comparison to the pain he felt throughout his skull. He couldn't stand it any longer, his vision completely disappearing as he let unconsciousness take him.

**[scene]**

Louise stood by Kaneki's bed, a towel sat atop his head as sweat poured down his face, eyebrows scrunching up as he breathed heavily. Whatever was happening to him, She could only wait for him to wake up. She absentmindedly touched his head, stroking the thick locks of hair, a bit of dust coming off of them.

"We'll have to get you a bath soon, you're starting to stink." She said, laughing a bit as she continued to stroke his hair. She continued this for a few minutes, until a loud bang erupted through the room. She pulled her hand back as quickly as she could, stiffening and blushing as she hoped whoever had entered didn't see her stroking his head.

"Kaneki! Kaneki are you alright!?" Siesta's worried voice rang through, Louise looking at her with a bit of a frown. Siesta ran to his side, holding onto his hand and trying to get something out of him. As Louise watched how worried Siesta was, she wondered if Kaneki really needed someone like her by his side, but as soon as that thought flew, she shot it down with gusto.

'There's no way he wouldn't need me here! I'm his master, and I still have yet to apologise to him for the way I've been treating him!' She chastised herself mentally, staring into Kaneki's pained face. Whatever was happening, it would be a while before he recovered, so she decided to reassure the maid.

"He's alright, ma-", she stopped herself, reminding her that the maid was his friend, "Siesta. He just needs some rest." She said, assuring herself more than the person she was supposed to be. Siesta looked up from Kaneki, her full attention on the pinkette. Louise forced a smile, hoping to take the thick atmosphere down a notch.

"What happened?" She asked, a hint of malice barely hidden in her words. Louise finched slightly, not expecting such a tone.

"He walked off and when I found him, he looked out of it and then passed out." She kept the details of their fight a secret, a maid not really needing to know about their situation. Siesta tensed up, becoming a bit more panicked.

"Was he talking to himself, like someone was there next to him, or talking to you as if he thought you were someone else?" She asked, not even attempting to hide the worry. Louise tilted her head, confused at what Siesta was asking.

"Why would he be talking to himself? Are you hiding something from me?" She demanded, accusing Siesta of keeping something important about Kaneki from her. Siesta flinched visibly, turning to look away before readying herself to spill the beans.

"W-when I found him a few days ago, after the fight with Guiche, he looked badly hurt. I went to approach him, but he was mumbling to himself about being hungry and telling someone to leave. I called out his name, and he turned towards me." she recalled something horrifying, but kept up her story. "It looked as if he was wearing some type of mask, but I wasn't too sure. He called me "hide" or something like that, but I didn't even get to ask who or what that was before he was gone. The next second, a searing pain erupted from my shoulder", she gripped her left shoulder, softly squeezing it before turning to look Louise in the eyes, "I looked and saw that he was on top of me, biting deeply into my shoulder. He ripped a good chunk out, swallowing it whole. The pain was unlike anything I felt before, and I could feel myself passing out. I called out to him, to hopefully make him stop, but I couldn't say anything. Suddenly, he stopped, and collapsed on top of me."

Louise looked dumbfounded. Kaneki, her familiar, tried to _**eat**_ someone! She looked wide-eyed at Siesta, who was looking down into her lap, then to Kaneki, who was still breathing heavily. She turned back to Siesta, opening and shutting her mouth like a gaping fish. She barely managed to compose herself to actually ask her question.

"What happened after that?" She asked, curious to figure out how Siesta managed to drag dead weight all the way to infirmary with a torn shoulder.

"Well, one of the mages from the school carried us here, I believe her name was Tabitha." She said, grasping her hand a bit out of habit.

Louise was definitely worried now, someone from the school found the two in a bloody mess, with Kaneki on top of Siesta. It just screams assault, which is punishable by life in the dungeons! The familiar's actions match the master's, so that means if they get accused, then it's all over for her! She mentally berated herself, trying to think of a way out of the situation, before Siesta spoke up.

"You don't have to worry, miss Valliere, miss Tabitha said that she would keep the whole incident a secret as long as it didn't get out of hand." Siesta said reassuringly, Louise breathing a sigh of relief. She looked down at Kaneki, wondering just what he was.

"Whatever happened to him in the past must have been a living nightmare. If I may be so bold, I believe he shouldn't remember it." Siesta stated, looking upon his shuffling form. Louise could only nod in agreement, making it her personal mission to keep him from finding out his past.

A knock at the door interrupted the heavy silence between the two.

"Excuse me, miss Valliere and Siesta, but it's late. I think you both should get some rest for tomorrow. Don't worry, I'll let you know if something happens while you're gone." Emily said, giving the two a trusting smile. They nodded, getting up and leaving the room. Emily smiled back at them, before turning her attention back to Kaneki. She touched his cheek, a lustful smile creeped onto her face.

"Oh~ the face of suffering suits you so well, Kaneki. I hope you'll show my master and I that face more and more as you continue to struggle~." She kissed his cheek before turning around and walking out the door. "Sweet dreams." She whispered, chuckling as she walked down the hall, leaving a half-aware and hungry Kaneki.


	10. Some Good News!

So! As you all know, I left on a hiatus a while ago because I was joining the Navy. Well, I'm back from boot as a Sailor! So that means more chapters, as promised! Expect an update in about a week, I'll make sure to make it a long one as well! goal for next chapter is 5k words! So grab your pitchforks (you little devils ^v^) and prepare to siege!


	11. Odd Thoughts

**Yo guys! Long time no see! So you see, There's a reason why I'm **_**TWO WEEKS**_ **behind schedule *INTENSIVE BOOING AND THE LOUD SOUND OF CHAIRS BREAKING ENSUE* Now, now, the reason for this is because I've been very busy with learning how my job works in the Navy. I haven't had any time to myself during the weekdays and on the weekends I'm stuck doing watches and other stuff. I barely get 5 hours of sleep ;v;, so I apologies for the lateness and will make sure to update as soon as I can. Much love!**

**A/N END**

*_clink*...*clink*...*clink*_

Something metallic echoed as it rhythmically tapped against another object. Kaneki was barely aware of himself as he focused on the tapping noise. The sound keeping him conscious.

"Let's enjoy ourselves again, Kaneki~!" He heard the man say as the clinking sound halted and was replaced with footsteps. Kaneki began to shake violently, thrashing about in an attempt to escape his captor. All that did was scratch whatever was holding him in place against his wrists and ankles. "What's one thousand minus seven?" In that instant, all Kaneki knew was pain.

"STOP!" Kaneki yelled as his eyes shot open and he scrambled out of bed. He was drenched in sweat and he could feel his heart beating heavily in his chest. The adrenaline pumped through him so fast that it took him nearly a minute to realize where he was.

"The infirmary…" He thought to himself aloud, trying to calm his beating heart as he gripped the collar of his jacket. "It was all a dream...just a dream…" Though he repeated these words in his mind, he couldn't help but get the feeling that there was something much more to that dream. It just felt too _real_.

"Kaneki! Are you alright?" Emily asked as she ran to his side. How did he not hear the door open? Even if he was lost in thought, he could always tell when someone was coming towards him. Suddenly, a sharp twinge of pain erupted inside his head, causing him to grip his left eye.

"Here, let me help you up." Emily said, wrapping his right arm around her shoulders. With one big lift, she helped him to his feet and placed him back into the bed. "You have to be more careful, otherwise you'll have a permanent residence here." She laughed to her own joke, Kaneki giving her a small smile of appreciation.

"Thank you." He bowed his head, causing Emily to fluster and move her hands erratically.

"D-Don't worry about it! I'm just doing my job, you see…" She stopped herself, looking away from him slightly. Before he could even say anything, she turned back to him with a serious expression. "Listen. Let me know if you ever feel troubled by anything. I'm always here to help you, no matter the problem."

Kaneki was somewhat caught off-guard. He didn't really expect something like this from someone who was constantly burdened by his mishaps. he couldn't help but smile, but somehow, deep inside him, something was warning him to stay as far away from this person as possible.

"Alright, I'll let you know if something crosses my mind." He said, laying his head back down on the pillow.

"Oh! By the way, are you by chance feeling hungry at all?" Emily asked, Kaneki immediately coming to the realization that he hadn't eaten anything at all since coming here. Normally, a person would've been at the peak of starvation at this point, but here he was, perfectly fine with almost no food to fuel him.

"No, but I wouldn't mind having a quick snack." He said, the sentence left his mouth before he could actually process everything.

"Sit tight for a second then, I'll go grab your meal." Emily said as she walked out the room. A few minutes later, she came back with a plate full of red meat. The aroma made Kaneki's mouth water like no other. In an instant, he felt an unbearable hunger deep inside him. Emily placed the meal in his lap, but before she could even sit down, the meat was already halfway down his throat.

"A quick snack, huh?" She said, her voice full of skepticism at the way Kaneki inhaled his food. The sweet taste danced across his tastebuds as he scarfed it down. It felt like lightning coursed through his body, but there was also another odd sensation. He finished his meal and placed his hand back on his left eye. He could feel it pulsating with his heartbeat. He frowned.

"Was the meat not to your liking?" Emily asked, tilting her head slightly. Kaneki snapped himself out of his thoughts and put back on his previous smile.

"No, it was delicious…" He said, trailing off at the end. Something felt off. He could feel something was wrong, but decided to save it for later.

"I'm glad! I spent quite a while on preparing it, so I definitely appreciate the comment." She stood up and took the empty plate away from him, leaving the room again. Kaneki's eye had stopped throbbing some time ago, but the pressure was still there.

Kaneki's ears picked up soft, but quick, footsteps coming down the hall. He focused as much as he could, the soft tapping coming to a halt in front of his door. A second later, the door swung open with enough force to make a loud smack as the handle hit the wall.

"Kaneki! Thank Brimir you're alright!" Louise screeched as she ran up to him. Kaneki was genuinely surprised by the way she approached him. Her face was filled with worry, causing him to feel a pang of guilt. Even if they didn't get along, he still didn't like seeing her worry.

'After all, where would he go if he lost someone as useful as her?' He thought. As soon as that thought entered his mind, he quickly shut it down.

"Sorry for making you worry." He apologized, giving her one of his signature smiles. Louise quickly took a seat, sitting in silence as she watched him like a hawk.

"Kaneki, listen, I just wanted to…", she paused for a few seconds, taking a deep breath, "_apologize_ for not treating you properly." She basically had to force those words out. Her tiny hands shaking in her lap as she felt her pride as a noble slowly shatter.

Kaneki couldn't believe his eyes. Here Louise was, apologizing to him. Even though it was forced, it was still an apology. It made him a bit uncomfortable.

"I-It's alright. I forgive you." He said, sounding just as embarrassed as Louise. Soon after, an awkward silence fell upon the two, leaving them struggling to find some way some way to break the atmosphere. Louise suddenly shot up, giving Kaneki a surprised look.

"Great Brimir! We have to hurry right now! The Princess is arriving today, and we need to be there to greet her!" Louise quickly grabbed Kaneki by the wrist and dragged him out of bed. He stumbled a bit as she pulled him towards the door.

'Princess?' Kaneki thought to himself as he let Louise take the lead.

**{-}**

To say Kaneki was annoyed was an understatement. He felt the eyes of almost everyone in the courtyard boring into him. Louise simply ignored them and pushed passed everyone to get to the front. Many dispersed immediately, but a few would try to hold their ground and not let them through. They barely managed to squeeze past the last person before the sound of trumpets announced the princess's arrival. A carriage pulled by a couple of horses stopped in the middle of the crowd, followed by many of her personal guards.

"Look! The Princess is getting out! I hear she's the most beautiful person in all of Tristain!" Someone yelled in the crowd. This caused everyone to mumble and chatter while one of the maids that accompanied the carriage opened one of the doors. Kaneki couldn't help but be captivated by her beauty. Short, purple hair accompanied by smooth, milk white skin. Many cheers were heard throughout the courtyard, but he wasn't bothered by the noise.

"Beautiful…"

"Don't get any ideas." Louise warned, causing him to focus his attention on her. He could see a ghost of a smile adorned on Louise's face, making him slightly suspicious to what she really meant.

**{-}**

"Kaneki, go take a bath. You stink." Louise stated, pointing her finger at him from across the room. He merely stood still, eyeing her oddly.

"Huh…?"

"I said, go. Take. A. Bath!" She put more emphasis into her words.

"Why? I don't stink that bad, do I?" He said, giving himself a small whiff. Instantly, his nose prickled and he moved his head away. "Okay, yeah. Maybe that's a good idea."

"There's a bathhouse down the stairs and to the right. And for Brimir's sake, make sure to wash your clothes as well." Kaneki nodded, opening the door and following the directions given to him. It didn't take him long to find it, but it made him a bit uneasy. It was separated into two doors, each with different characters inscribed on them. He still couldn't read the country's language, so he was stuck with taking a fifty-fifty chance. He looked left and right, making sure no one was nearby.

"Well, can't get any worse, can it?" He said, walking through the left door and finding a giant bowl of water. Decorations littered the area, with statues of goddesses poring hot water from their vases. It looked like something straight out of the Roman era.

'Not a bad place.' Kaneki thought as he started to undress himself. He folded his clothes and placed them next to a wall. 'Hopefully no one walks in to ruin the mood.'

Hopping in, he laid back and closed his eyes, enjoying the freshness of hot water on his dried and tired skin. It felt like everything was melting away as he sat there and enjoyed himself. He opened his eyes slowly, gazing down into the water at his reflection. He had wrinkles under his eyes, chapped lips, and dirty, white hair. His grey colored eyes looked empty. If one was to say the eyes were the window to the soul, then in his case no one was home.

"Who are you…?" He asked himself, hoping someone or something would give him an answer. he cupped some water and splashed it in his face, taking a deep breath and diving under the water. He didn't know how long he'd been down there, but he enjoyed the feeling. Kaneki stood up, letting the water drip off of him before exiting the bath. He didn't have anything to dry himself off with, but it didn't really bother him. He picked up his clothes, but then noticed something written inside his jacket.

"Avec Amour - Tsukiyama" Kaneki read aloud. Something about that name seemed nostalgic, almost saddening. he continued to stare at the words, hoping to get something, but it never came. He sighed, putting on his clothes, water still dripping from him. He walked out the bath house, continued up the stairs, and rounded the corner to the hall. He stopped, eyeing the suspicious figure that was waiting outside Louise's door. The figure wore a brown cloak that covered its entire body, making it somewhat hard to pick out physical proportions. However, the smell of perfume gave away the gender. As soon as the woman grasped the door handle, Kaneki quickly wrapped his hand over her mouth and pulled one of her arms behind her back.

"Move a single muscle, and I'll snap your neck." He warned, feeling her body shake within his grasp.

"Nod once for yes, and twice for no. Anything else will be seen as hostile." He commanded. The woman nodded once.

"Did someone send you here?"

Two nods.

"Do you have anyone else nearby?"

Two nods.

"Did you come here for Louise?"

One Nod.

Kaneki quickly spun her around, pulling down her hood. He was shocked to see that it was none other than the Princess herself. Kaneki couldn't believe his eyes. Why was the Princess here? He quickly removed his hands from her, taking a step back. She coughed a bit, regaining her breath.

"W-Who are you? How do you know Louise?" She asked, still trembling from his earlier threat.

"I'm her…'familiar'." He said, forcing out the word familiar a bit. He still didn't like calling himself that. It felt wrong, like someone had taken his freedom and his basic rights as a living being. The Princess calmed down a bit, still slightly wary of him.

"I'm Louise's childhood friend." She stated, puffing out her chest a bit. Somehow, that word put Kaneki at ease, even leaving a small smile on his face. He merely nodded and opened the door to Louise's room. She was in her nightgown, tapping her foot with a scowl on her face. As soon as she saw Kaneki, she just about exploded before she noticed the Princess right next to him. Her jaw dropped as she quickly got down on one knee and bowed her head.

"Y-Your Majesty! It's an honor to be in your presence! What business do you have with someone as lowly as I?" Louise quickly stammered off, catching Kaneki off-guard once again. To see Louise on one knee and calling herself lowly made him re-evaluate what he just did not even a few minutes ago.

'Hopefully she'll forgive me for almost breaking her…' He thought as he smiled sheepishly to himself.

"Familiar! What are you doing!? Hurry up and bow!" Louise screamed, grabbing him and pushing his head down. "Please forgive this unsightly familiar of mine! He has no respect for others." Kaneki frowned in annoyance.

"It's alright, Louise Francoise." She said, taking ahold of Louise's hand to help her to her feet. "We have much to discuss." They both eyed Kaneki, hoping he would take a hint. It didn't take him long to pick up what they tossed out. He quietly left the room, leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the hall. After what felt like hours to him, the door opened and the two came out of the room.

"Thank you." Henrietta said, giving Louise a small smile. Kaneki merely watched on as they hugged each other and said their goodbyes.

"You're always welcome back, Princess." Louise stated, giving her a warm smile. Henrietta pulled the hood of the cloak over herself and went about her merry way. Kaneki, albeit faint, gave a small smile as well, before turning back to Louise.

"It's always nice having a person who cares for you." Kaneki said, Louise snapping out of her stupor.

"O-Of course it is! Though, it wasn't always like this…" Louise trailed off, finding the floor more interesting. Kaneki was about to ask her what she meant, she grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him back inside.

"We have a very important day tomorrow, so make sure you get enough sleep." She said, hopping into bed and curling herself inside the covers. Kaneki made himself comfortable on his little pile of hay, losing himself in his thoughts. He reached under the pile and pulled out the mask he bought the other day. He examined every inch of it for a name or some type of identifiable marking, but found none whatsoever. He held the mask out in front of him, just staring at the lipless mouth.

"Did you have someone who cared for you as well, Kaneki?" He asked himself, staring at his mask for a few more seconds before placing it back in its previous spot.


	12. Breach

**A/N: Hey guys! So, I've been thinking a bit on where I wanted to take this story, and I've wrote down a basic route for it. From beginning to a somewhat end! That way, it's not all chaotic and rushed. I'll actually be able to take my time hahahaha! Oh, good news! I'm off mandatory study, and am now able to write just a bit more! *Puffs out chest* I feel like a king! Anyway, enough about me, let's continue Kaneki's journey through Tristain! Also, it seems like I'll be stuck in 1 hour mandatory study again ;v;.**

A cloaked figure silently walked a small dirt path of a forest. The wind gently blowing as small chirps and whistles echoed through. The serene atmosphere barely carried comfort for this figure. The soft crunching of leaves and rocks under multiple boots followed behind as the figure scowled.

"Will you hurry up!? We don't have a whole lot of time, in case you didn't know!" A female voice echoed, the chirping stopping momentarily. It was followed by simple grunts and moans, causing the figure to halt her movements.

"If you have time to groan and moan, then you have time to move your ass in gear! I didn't pay you enough to slack around!"

"Give them a break, hot stuff. We aren't mercenaries, so don't treat us as such." The voice of a man warned as she looked to her right. Her scowl turned to a sneer at the man before her. He was clad in bandit attire: fur coat, metal chestplate, leather boots and pants. The whole nine yards.

"If it was my choice, I would've picked mercenaries, not some disgusting brutes." She chastised.

"Hey, Who th-", another bandit was cut off mid sentence with a raise of a hand, "Calm down, Lloyd. She simply doesn't know the appeal of a bandit, yet." The man replied to his companion, a smug grin plastered on his face.

"I wouldn't want to, knowing how you all work…" The cloaked woman trailed off, remembering the scene she came upon when first meeting them. The blood and bodies littering the ground as some of the bandits in their group raped and pillaged a small caravan. It was not a very welcoming sight, to say the least. She shook her head slightly, gazing out into a small clearing. In the distance, her eyes caught the sight of a Large, castle-like building.

"Soon, I'll have all I will ever need…" She silently spoke to herself as she let a small grin show through the darkness of her hood.

* * *

"Hey! Wake up!" Louise screamed in Kaneki's ear. Jolting him awake and causing him to jump to his feet. His heart pounded as he tried to regain his bearings. He looked around the room for a brief moment before planting his eyes on Louise, who stood next to him with her hands on her hips.

"Just how long do you plan on sleeping!?" She asked, her brow furrowing and the scowl on her face deepening. "We're already behind schedule! We need to hurry and figure out what you can do before time is up, jeez!"

Kaneki blankly stared at her for a few seconds before he finally remembered what it was. Louise had told him yesterday that the school was holding some sort of talent show for the mages and their familiars.

"I don't really feel comfortable doing something like that." He said, scratching his cheek as he smiled awkwardly. Louise only huffed before pointing her finger at him.

"I will not be embarrassed out there. We must find something you're good at, lest I remain a laughing stock." Louise stated firmly, Kaneki nodding his head slowly as he went to grab his mask from under the pile of hay. As he pulled it out, Louise grimaced at the sight of it.

'If it's true, and he really has such a horrible past, then maybe it is best to have him not remember at all…' Louise thought to herself.

"I guess we won't find something sitting around here, will we?" Kaneki asked as he pocketed the strange mask. Louise led him out the door and into the fairly long hallways of Tristain Magic Academy.

* * *

Kaneki looked on in mild curiosity as most of the second years were practicing their routine with their familiars. They weren't paying him any mind (for once), instead opting to focus all of their attention on making sure there were no mistakes in their performances.

"First, we'll see how good you are with a weapon." Louise stated, tossing him a longsword from god-knows-where. He caught it deftly, staring at it for only a moment before tilting his head slightly to the side like a confused pup.

"I don't think this is for me. It doesn't feel too comfortable." Kaneki said, causing Louise to sigh.

"So that's a no, then." She said in defeat, cupping her chin as she thought about what else he could do. That's when something brilliant came to her mind.

"Can you sing? Or play an instrument?" She asked, feeling herself jitter a bit, albeit the action going unnoticed from her familiar. He did the exact same thing she did, cupping his chin in thought.

"I don't think I can, but we can give it a shot." He said, Louise smiling like a child as she went inside to get something. Kaneki just stood there, looking out into the field of Mages. The amount of creatures astonished him, some making him uncomfortable. He saw the blue haired girl, Tabitha, flying on her dragon. He couldn't keep his eyes from widening as this was the first time he'd actually seen her familiar.

"Amazing…" He said under his breath, relishing in the sight. He looked around the field some more, spotting the red head the clung to Tabitha like a moth to a flame. She was having her familiar do some fire tricks, patting its head every so often. So many different and unique things were going on, that he couldn't help but smile.

'I wonder what hide would think if he saw this…' He thought to himself, before he finally caught on to what he just thought.

'Hide…? Who is that? It sounds so familiar, but I can't put a face to the name…'

"Kaneki! Hurry up and play!" Louise demanded as she pushed open the front doors of the school and ran towards him. Immediately, she knew something was wrong with him.

"Hey, are you alright?" She asked, dreading that something similar to the day before was happening once again. He turned around to face her his expression blank, but somehow saddened.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just lost in thought…" He said, cupping his chin. Louise, eyeing him suspiciously, thought that action to be quite strange. She couldn't pinpoint exactly why, but it just felt off to her.

"Okay…" She said, before remembering what she had brought along.

"Here! Try playing this!" She handed him a bow, along with a Violin. He stared at it for a bit, remembering it from somewhere in a book he once read. Somehow, he could only remember odd things from books he's read. Even now, as he placed the instrument under his chin and held the bow in the correct position, he gently pulled down on the strings. What came out wasn't the soft melody of the strings, but a scratching sound that hurt Louise's ears. Kaneki immediately stopped, Looking at the instrument in confusion.

"Hold on." He stated, making a few tweaks here and there to it, before trying again. Louise prepared herself this time, keeping her hands near her ears in case the horrific noise came again. Instead, a beautiful medley of sounds echoed through the grounds. Some of the students near them halted, eyeing the pair with wonder. Kaneki stopped midway, looking at Louise for any input or criticism.

"O-Okay. Now that we know that you can play, we should think of a song…" She said. She couldn't help but be astonished at the fact that he could play it even though he has no memory of it to begin with, but now comes the real challenge. Will he be able to play any songs. She wracked her brain around it, before giving up and just asking him.

"Kaneki, do you remember any songs that you could play?" She asked, fingers crossed as she prayed that he knew at least one.

"I may know one, but as of right now, I can't really remember…" He stated, Louise cursing under her breath.

"Well, we'll just have to deal with it when it comes then. For right now, go do whatever you want until the show starts. You have my permission as your master." She said, walking back inside. Kaneki scoffed, getting slightly annoyed at what she said at the end of her sentence. He was about to head inside when he heard someone call out his name.

"Kaneki! Hey, Kaneki!" Kaneki turned and saw that Siesta was waving at him.

"Good morning, Siesta" He greeted, bowing slightly. She smiled at him, giving a bow of her own.

"Are you preparing for the Exhibition?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.

'So that's what it's called.' Kaneki thought to himself.

"Yes, just taking a break until it starts. How have you been, Siesta?"

"I'm just preparing the chairs and other items. After all, it's become such a big event since the Princess herself showed up this year." Siesta stated, her face a mixture of happiness and worry. Kaneki gave a hum of acknowledgement.

"It was nice to see you, Kaneki. I have to get back to work before I get a scolding." She said, giggling a bit behind her hand and taking off. He kept watch until she disappeared behind the building, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

"I guess I should just take a nap, then." Kaneki said to himself, placing the violin down on the grass while laying down himself. He observed the clouds hanging around in the sky, each one taking a different shape as time passed, but none able to really captivate him. He felt his eyes get heavy, slowly closing themselves as he barely put up a fight. The darkness swallowed him, embracing his being in sweet dreams, but right before he fell asleep, he couldn't help but feel something was off. The faint hint of smoke and sweat carried themselves through the soft wind.

* * *

"Kaneki! Hey, Kaneki! Wake up!" Louise screamed, again, in his ear. This time, however, he didn't jolt awake.

"The exhibition is about to start! I said to take a short break, not nap through the whole day!" She yelled, doing her signature stomp. He merely sat up and dusted himself off. He managed to pick up his violin before Louise grabbed his arm and dragged him off to where they needed to go, the whole place already filled to the brim. Most of the second years were behind the stage with their familiars, some patting their familiars for encouragement or simply sitting in silence.

"Damn! We're already behind!" Louise cursed, dragging him behind the stage and taking the very last seat available. Kaneki looked around, seeing the crowd from behind the stage. He couldn't pick out any familiar faces, thinking that maybe Siesta would be sitting amongst the crowd.

'Guess she still has work to do.' He thought to himself, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the 106th annual Exhibition of New Familiars! We hope you enjoy the show!" a voice announced, allowing the first mage to take the stage.

"First up, we have Malicorne de Grandpré and his familiar, Cubasil!" The crowd cheered and clapped as the heavyweight boy made his way onto the stage with his owl. Kaneki wasn't very interested in how he performed, but watched him nonetheless. The announcer called up others in a similar fashion. Each one performing amazing stunts and tricks (except for that one blond boy he fought.), the audience taking in each and every performance. However, the performance that actually captivated him the most was Tabitha and her dragon. The aerial performance making him go wide-eyed and gaining every bit of his attention.

"And for our last event, please welcome Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere and her familiar, Kaneki!" He and Louise took the stage, the crowd going eerily quiet except for a few who gave a halfhearted clap. Louise looked out into the crowd, seeing the princess in the front row giving her an encouraging smile. She made no effort to acknowledge the subtle support, but it did not go unnoticed.

"Kaneki, don't embarrass me." She whispered, Kaneki merely nodded before putting the violin under his chin. He could hear some whispers out in the crowd, some curious about what he would play while others scoffed and badmouthed him. With a gentle tug, he began to play. The soft melody of a foreign song echoed through the crowd as he played with gentle hands.

Kaneki could feel the the fuzziness in his mind fade slightly, words echoing through his mind as he continued to play. Suddenly, without missing a beat, he began to sing, catching both Louise and the crowd off guard at how beautiful his voice was.

"Darkness falls on another day, and the light just seems so far away", the crowd remained silent, captivated by his melody, "am I here all alone? Cause it just feels so cold, oh~ so cold." Kaneki could feel something well up inside himself, someone else entirely taking control of his body as he continued to play. The darkness within his mind barely obtaining a small light. Louise looked on in wonder, never before hearing such a song. The beauty captivated her, but somehow all she could feel was the astonishing amount of sadness in Kaneki's voice.

He played for what felt like hours, but was really just a few minutes. The crowd remained silent, watching him with what felt like scrutinizing eyes before erupting into cheers and applause. He stepped back a bit, not expecting such a cacophony of praise. He looked at Louise, who had small tears in her eyes. She saw him looking her way, and quickly wiped away the tears, turning back to him with a sad smile.

"Absolutely amazing! Wonderful!" The crowd bellowed. He took a simple bow, heading off the stage as the judges tallied up the votes. As they exited the stage, Louise couldn't help but think how the melody fit Kaneki so well.

* * *

"That was amazing! The crowd praised and cheered and-", Kaneki was currently listening to Louise jump for joy and recap what had happened in her own words. He smiled, the much more cheery side of Louise making her rare appearance, "how do you even know how to play that song!? I thought you lost most of your memories?"

"It just came to me, really. Like I was merely watching myself play." He answered, caught off guard a bit at the sudden question. Louise seemed content with that answer as she danced around, the grounds still completely packed with people. Soon enough, the voice of the announcer echoed through the crowd.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to announce our winner for this year's exhibition! Give a round of applause to…" He stopped for dramatic effect. Suddenly, the smell of smoke assaulted Kaneki's nose. He quickly looked towards one of the many walls guarding the academy.

**BOOM!**

The explosion shook everything within its vicinity. Some of the crowd caught in the explosion as many people scrambled around, trying to figure out what just happened. the smoke causing many to cough and become disoriented. Kaneki went to grab Louise's hand, but found nothing there. He looked around, seeing that she was nowhere in sight. His adrenaline pumped through him like a firehose as he came to a very undesirable conclusion. Louise is gone, and the school is currently being attacked by an unknown enemy.


End file.
